


face à la mer

by vulcanistics



Category: Football RPF, German National Team RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Literary References & Allusions, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-25
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-17 04:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4651440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vulcanistics/pseuds/vulcanistics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>and the arms of the ocean are carrying me / and all this devotion was rushing out of me  / and the crashes are heaven for a sinner like me / but the arms of the ocean delivered me</p>
            </blockquote>





	face à la mer

**Author's Note:**

> \- so i haven't been around much because i've been with college and real life stuff. this fic is incomplete but i'm working on it, i just felt like posting whatever i have of it. hopefully, you guys like it.  
> \- the title is from a french song and it means 'facing the sea'  
> \- summary is taken from florence and the machine's never let me go

Bastian’s perched behind the counter of his bookstore, casually turning the worn-out pages of his copy of _Die unendliche Geschichte_ when he hears the door open. He glances up to greet his customers, but the words die in his throat. Suddenly, he’s slipped back five years into the past and he’s twenty-four years old again. He remembers pressing his lips against a man who tasted like the sea.

Lukas is staring at him with fear and Bastian completely understands it. If he was in Lukas’ position, he’d be afraid of himself too. Miroslav smiles at him and it surprises Bastian because Miroslav should hate him. He’d expect Miroslav to hate him, but he’s smiling at him with such genuine warmth. Bastian can’t breathe.

“Hello Bastian, how are you?” Miroslav drums his fingers on the counter and Bastian catches the glare Lukas sends Miroslav’s way.

“I’m - I’m good. I now run my dad’s bookstore, as you can see.”

Miro smirks, the amusement twinkling in his eyes, “Yes, I can see that. He left it for you?”

Bastian nods before quietly adding, “This, and loads of money. My brother, Tobias and I have enough to last us a lifetime.”

Lukas takes a step towards the right and Bastian watches as Lukas runs his fingers along the shelves. That’s when he notices the ring. The ring on Miroslav’s finger matches Lukas’s finger. Lukas and Miroslav are married and Bastian wishes they’d never walked into his bookstore in the first place. He wouldn’t have had to deal with the sharp taste of bitterness and regret and unrequited love.

“I’ve missed you,” Bastian says, his voice sounding unsteady and nervous.

Lukas’ spins around to face him, eyes flashing darkly at his words, “I haven’t.”

“ _Łukasz._ ”

There’s a clear reproachful quality to Miroslav’s voice but somehow, he says Lukas’ name like it’s the most precious thing to him. Bastian realises that Lukas is probably the most precious thing to Miroslav when he sees Miro take Lukas’ hand in his and squeeze it. Lukas stares at the floor apologetically. It’s when Lukas suddenly nods and smiles that Bastian remembers something Lukas told him, married merpeople have a telepathic bond. Lukas and Miroslav are talking to each other in their heads. There’s a slow burning fire of anger, hurt, jealousy scorching him from within.They have their own language, they have their stupid mind link and Bastian’s heart aches.

( The waves break gently against Bastian boat, the sea is calm and welcoming. It's waiting for Lukas and Miro to home. Bastian looks at where Miroslav and Lukas are sitting and he feels like an intruder. Miro is clinging to Lukas' shirt, whispering words in a language Bastian can't understand. His tail catches the early light of day and the purple, blue and green scales seem brighter and bolder. The colours dance beneath Lukas' fingers as he gently strokes Miro's tail, making sure that it's wet. The droplets of water give the appearance of spilled precious jewels on Miro's tail and Bastian is speechless. It’s beautiful.

Lukas leans down and dips his hand into the ocean, the water spilling through his fingers. He raises a cupped hand to Miro's lips and watches with a fond smile as Miro drinks the salty water. Water trickles down Miro's chest and Lukas traces the path it takes with his finger. Miro glances up at Bastian with a soft, sad smile, and Bastian finds himself shrinking under Miroslav's steady gaze. He looks away, focusing his gaze on the fading coastline. He doesn't fully understand what's happening. The merman was Lukas' missing friend, but they were more than friends, Bastian was sure of this.

Lukas' slightly gruff voice interrupts Bastian's thoughts, “You can stop here”

Bastian nods and does as directed, turning around to look at Lukas and Miroslav once the boat is as still as it can be. Bastian can make out the rusty brown and red colour settled beneath the skin on Lukas' calves. A faint outline of scales is visible. Bastian nearly staggers back in shock because suddenly everything makes sense. Lukas is a merman. He was in love with a merman.

A sudden rush of panic surges through Bastian when he realises Lukas is going to leave with Miroslav. Lukas is leaving him and he can't do anything to stop him. He feels weak in his knees. )

 

* * *

 

 

Lukas presses the palm of his hand against the open Moleskine notebook lying on Bastian's desk, leaning forward to read it. Miroslav sits on the stool and tugs the notebook closer to him. Bastian studies their expressions as they read together. He takes in the arching of Miro’s eyebrow, the sudden narrowing of his eyes, the hint of a smile on Lukas’ face, the amused lift of his eyebrows. They read in silence, occasionally exchanging glances and Bastian watches them.

Lukas looks up at Bastian, “What is this?”

Lukas is smiling at him and Bastian had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be the focus of Lukas' smile. It makes him dizzy. This is the Lukas he remembers - infectious joy and endless curiosity. It's a transformation from the angry fearful man who'd walked into his shop. Bastian knows that Miroslav is the reason for the transformation, it's Miro who has calmed Lukas down, filling their mind link with pleasant emotions.

“It's a book,” Bastian's cheeks feel warm and he nervously fiddles with the pens in his pen stand before continuing, “It's a book where I get customers to write about the different stories they've heard about mythical creatures. It's like a compilation of legends.”

“Mythical?"

Bastian smiles at the incredulous look on Lukas' face, “People feel safer when they believe certain things are not real and are a figment of the imagination. It's easier to express and explain their fear through stories - rationalisation.”

It's Miroslav who speaks this time, his gaze focused on a page before him. “The stories about the merpeople, a lot of them are wrong.”

“Tourists frequent this place a lot and they bring with them their own ideas. Then there’s a lot of local stories about merpeople, this being a coastal area and all that. Everything Lukas told me is in there though."

Lukas doesn't say a word but continues glancing through the book, a quiet smile on his face. Miroslav barks out a laugh suddenly and points at one of the names on the page before saying, “It’s not just tourists, locals and you writing in this. You’ve had some other visitors of the mythical kind and I’m not talking only about merpeople”

Bastian stares at the two of them with wide eyes because of course he knows what they mean. There is more magic and mystery in this world than he’s ever known and it’s been inside his store. The moleskine notebook is a collection of pure wonder, tainted by scepticism and lies.

“Julian Draxler, Per Mertesacker, Thomas Müller” muses Lukas as he idly lists out names that Bastian assumes are mythical creatures.

Bastian isn’t sure if they’re all merpeople like Lukas and Miroslav, but he remembers ‘mer’ means sea in French. He vaguely recollects a towering man introducing himself as Mertesacker and proceeding to read the notebook, before nervously asking for a pen. Thomas Müller, he remembers really well. It’s hard to forget someone who comes into your shop and knocks down a bookshelf and then trips over the fallen books. Müller had then laughed and shrugged helplessly as he’d helped Bastian rearrange. Bastian had instantly liked the grinning boy wrapped up like a burrito. Thomas had gleefully read through the pages of the notebook before grabbing Bastian’s pen to scribble down something about vampires. Bastian had never seen him again. He can't really remember a Julian Draxler though.

There’s a quiet contemplative look on Lukas’ face as he twirls a pen in his right hand. Tilting his head towards Miroslav, Lukas smirks. Miroslav just shakes his head and nods with a smile. Miro bends down to press a quick kiss against Lukas’ lips and pulls away before gently rubbing Lukas’ lower lip with his thumb. Bastian thinks he’s going to be sick.

“I’ll see you in an hour or so. Have fun writing.”

Lukas watches Miroslav leave, grinning brightly as he waves him goodbye. Bastian can feel the slight tremor of anxiety pulling at his skin because Lukas is still standing in front of the counter, his arm splayed out across Bastian’s desk.

“Lukas, what are you doing?” The tightness in his voice surprises Bastian.

Lukas’ sharp piercing eyes meet his, challenge blazing in them, “I’m going to write in this book, what did you think I was going to do?”

Bastian ducks his head to hide the angry blush in his cheeks, “Nothing. I was just wondering why you’re still here when your boyfr– husband’s gone.”

“I don’t have to follow him around everywhere, do I? Besides, I have a story that’s itching to get out.”

Lukas’ gaze suddenly softens as he watches Bastian and Bastian thinks he sees a flash of sadness in Lukas’ eyes but then it’s gone. Bastian’s sighs and he’s about to return to _Die unendliche Geschichte_ when he notices his copy of Fouqué’s _Undine_ underneath it. Bastian quietly pushes it out of his line of sight, he doesn’t need reminders of mermaids and knights and love.

 

( Bastian sits across from the man curled up on his couch. Lukas looks so much more peaceful than the highly panicked man he'd met at the beach. Lukas stirs in his sleep, shifting underneath Bastian's blanket. Bastian leans back in his chair and runs his hand through his for the millionth time - he'd invited a stranger into his house. Bastian had been walking towards the jetty where his boat was when he'd spotted a man walking up and down the shore. He doesn't think he's ever going to forget the way Lukas had gripped his hand and asked him if he'd seen someone called Miroslav. The sun hadn't risen and there were stars above them, Bastian had still seen the redness of Lukas' eyes. Lukas hadn't been crying, but he had looked close to tears. Bastian had taken the man to his home because he’d looked close to exhaustion. He was met with a relieved ‘thank you’ and the quiet whisper of a name. Bastian had wrapped his arm around Lukas and grinned, “Hi Lukas, I’m Bastian. Let’s get you some place warm.”

Lukas suddenly gasps and sits up, the blanket pooling around his waist. Lukas' gaze sweeps across Bastian's tiny house and Bastian can see almost see the manner in which he's cataloguing things.

“Do you like reading?" Bastian hadn't missed the way Lukas' eyes seem to rest on his bookshelf. Lukas tears his gaze away from the books, visibly startled. He gives him a once over and Bastian resists the urge to squirm in his seat. There's something incredibly unsettling about the piercing blue eyes and Bastian finds himself looking away. That's when Lukas pushes the blanket off him and puts his feet on the ground. They sit in silence, Bastian watching Lukas stare at his feet. He doesn’t understand what’s going on inside Lukas’ mind, but he can’t bring himself to disturb the pensive expression on his face. The quiet weighs over them for awhile till Bastian leans across the coffee table to touch Lukas’ shoulder, “Lunch?”

Lukas flinches under Bastian’s hand and Bastian withdraws his hand, trying to ignore the slight feeling of hurt. Lukas looks up immediately and flashes him a feeble smile, “Do you usually invite strangers to sleep on your couch?”

There’s amusement laced in Lukas’ words and Bastian can’t control the bubble of laughter that escapes him. “Only the ones I find wandering on the beach and who have no place to crash.” Bastian notices the strained dip of Lukas’ mouth and he can’t bear it. He doesn’t know this man, but he wants to take away all the sadness in him. He doesn’t understand it. “Hey Lukas, we’ll find him.”

The grateful grin he receives is the most beautiful thing he’s seen. )

**Author's Note:**

> \- Die unendliche Geschichte (The Neverending story) is a German fantasy novel by Michael Ende that was first published in 1979. The book centers on a boy, Bastian Balthazar Bux, who begins reading a novel about a magical place called Fantasia  
> \- Undine is a fairy-tale novella by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué in which Undine, a water spirit, marries a knight named Huldebrand in order to gain a soul. 
> 
> please do leave me comments/kudos/critique :)


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